John Hunter Nemechek

John Hunter Nemechek (born June 11, 1997) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 42/40 Toyota Camry XSE for Legacy Motor Club and part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 62 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for Halmar Friesen Racing and the No. 5 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage.

He is the son of NASCAR driver Joe Nemechek and was the 2012 champion in the Allison Legacy Series.

Early life

Nemechek was born on June 11, 1997, Nemechek is a native of Mooresville, North Carolina; he was named after his uncle, John Nemechek, who had been killed in a racing accident earlier that year in a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He was a student at the Davidson Day School in Davidson, North Carolina. Nemechek was born the oldest of three full siblings. Nemechek also has one older half-brother.

Nemechek was the subject of a children's book on racing, Racin' Buddies, written by his father in 2001.

Racing career Early career

Nemechek began his racing career at the age of five, competing in go-karts, quarter midget cars and in dirt bike competition.

In 2012, Nemechek moved up to late model and super late model competition, competing in the Champion Racing Association Super Series and American Speed Association Midwest Tour; he also competed in the World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna Speedway during Speedweeks. Nemechek won praise from Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Busch following a CRA Super Series race in which both drivers competed. He finished 23rd in the event.

After competing in the 2012 Snowball Derby, starting second and finishing tenth, Nemechek won the 2012 Allison Legacy Series championship, winning fifteen of the season's eighteen races.

In 2013, Nemechek moved to compete in the Southern Super Series as well as selected races in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East,

In 2014, Nemechek won the 300-lap Snowball Derby.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 2013–2020: NEMCO Motorsports In late 2013, Nemechek made his debut in the Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 22 Toyota for SWM-NEMCO Motorsports, a brief joint venture between Joe Nemechek and Sid Maudlin. He finished nineteenth at Martinsville and 21st at Phoenix. He competed in two events, with the best finish of 16th.

Nemechek ran ten races during the 2014 season, finishing a season-best fifth place at New Hampshire. Nemechek finished the season eighth in the points standings.

In 2017, Nemechek won back-to-back races at Gateway and Iowa. He missed the Championship Four after finishing second at Phoenix. His season ended once again with an eighth place in the points standings.

From 2018 to 2020, Nemechek scaled back to a part-time schedule. During those years, he scored a win at Martinsville in 2018.

2021–2022: Kyle Busch Motorsports

In November 2020, after parting ways with Front Row Motorsports in the Cup Series, Nemechek signed with Kyle Busch Motorsports for the 2021 Truck Series season. During the 2021 season, he scored wins at Las Vegas, Richmond, Charlotte, Texas, and Pocono. Aside from clinching the regular season championship, Nemechek finished the season with a career-best third in the points standings.

In 2022, Nemechek won at Darlington and Kansas and finished fifth in the points standings.

2023, 2026: Part-time Nemechek drove two races for Tricon Garage in 2023, finishing 31st at Las Vegas and third at Atlanta.

In 2026, he drove Halmar Friesen Racing's No. 62 at Daytona and Atlanta. He led the final corner of Daytona but had to settle for fifth. He drove the No. 5 for Tricon at New Hampshire.

NASCAR Xfinity Series 2018: Chip Ganassi Racing For the 2018 season, Nemechek joined Chip Ganassi Racing to drive the No. 42 NASCAR Xfinity Series car on a part-time basis. In his debut at Atlanta, he finished fourth, despite being in an early wreck involving Elliott Sadler and Cole Custer. Nemechek won at Kansas and finished thirteenth in the points standings.

2019: GMS Racing

In 2019, Nemechek signed with GMS Racing for the full Xfinity schedule in the No. 23 Chevrolet. On November 9, Nemechek and his father Joe made motorsports history at Phoenix by being the first father-son duo to race in all three main series in one weekend. Despite not winning a race, Nemechek finished the season seventh in points after finishing sixth at Homestead.

2021–2022: Part-time with Sam Hunt Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing For 2021 and 2022, Nemechek ran part-time in the Xfinity Series with Sam Hunt Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing. During those years, he won at Texas in 2021.

2023–2024: Joe Gibbs Racing

In December 2022, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Nemechek would pilot the returning No. 20 Toyota Supra full-time for the 2023 season in the Xfinity Series. Nemechek began the 2023 Xfinity season with a second-place finish at Daytona. Throughout the season, he scored wins at Fontana, Martinsville, Atlanta, New Hampshire, Michigan, and Kansas. During the playoffs, Nemechek won at Texas. He finished 28th at Phoenix and fourth in the points standings.

While running full-time with Legacy Motor Club in the Cup Series, Nemechek shared the No. 20 with Aric Almirola for the 2024 Xfinity season. He started the season with a seventh-place finish at Daytona. Throughout the season, he scored wins at Las Vegas and Nashville.

NASCAR Cup Series 2019–2020: Front Row Motorsports Nemechek's No. 38 at Michigan International Speedway in 2020 On October 29, 2019, Front Row Motorsports announced that Nemechek would fill in for Matt Tifft in the No. 36 Ford for the final three races of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series after medical issues forced Tifft from the ride. On December 12, FRM announced that Nemechek would replace David Ragan as the driver of the No. 38 Ford for the 2020 season, competing for the 2020 NASCAR Rookie of the Year honors.

Nemechek started the 2020 season with an 11th-place finish in the 2020 Daytona 500. After a two-month break, four races into the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nemechek would get the first top-ten of his Cup career in the first race in the double-header at Darlington. This would also be the first top-ten for FRM at a track other than Talladega or Daytona since 2016. Nemechek would not get another top-ten until the Talladega spring race, where he finished eighth. He scored his third top-ten with another eighth-place finish at the Talladega fall race and finished the season 27th in the points standings. On November 16, Nemechek parted ways with Front Row Motorsports.

2022: Part-time with 23XI Racing On October 18, 2022, it was announced that Nemechek would return to the Cup Series for the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, filling in for Bubba Wallace in the 23XI Racing No. 45 car after Wallace was suspended for the race after he intentionally retaliated against, crashed and fought Kyle Larson in the previous week's race at Las Vegas. Nemechek actually had a chance to drive that car earlier in the season after Kurt Busch's concussion although 23XI decided to instead put Ty Gibbs in the car despite Nemechek being selected as the team's reserve driver at the start of the season. (Wallace, the driver of the team's No. 23 car, would switch cars with Gibbs during the playoffs to compete for the owners' championship.)

2024: Legacy Motor Club

On September 6, 2023, Legacy Motor Club announced that Nemechek would drive the No. 42 full-time in the Cup Series in 2024, his first full-time ride since the 2020 season. In October, Nemecheck was tapped to drive the No. 42 Sunseeker Camaro at Homestead. His season contained four top-ten finishes, including a season-best result of sixth at Bristol, though a number of poor finishes led him to 34th in the standings — last of all full-time entrants. On November 19, LMC named Travis Mack as the crew chief of the No. 42 in 2025.

2025

Nemechek started the 2025 season with a fifth-place finish at 2025 Daytona 500, a career best. He followed that up with a tenth-place finish at Atlanta.

2026

Nemechek started the 2026 season with a 26th-place DNF at 2026 Daytona 500. He led most of the Pocono race on alternate strategy but was later passed by Denny Hamlin, finishing 4th. On September 1st, 2026, it was confirmed that John Hunter Nemechek would not be returning to Legacy Motor Club in 2027.

Other racing On July 5, 2022, it was announced that Nemechek would run the main ARCA Menards Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in the No. 55 car for Venturini Motorsports in preparation for the Truck Series race there on the same weekend. It was his debut in the series.

On January 11, 2024, it was announced that Nemechek would make his sportscar debut in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge at Daytona, piloting the No. 23 Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO with codrivers Bubba Wallace and Corey Heim.

Motorsports career results

Racing career summary

NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings. * – Most laps led.)

Cup Series NASCAR Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts Ref 2019 Front Row Motorsports 36 Ford DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL MAR TEX BRI RCH TAL DOV KAN CLT POC MCH SON CHI DAY KEN NHA POC GLN MCH BRI DAR IND LVS RCH ROV DOV TAL KAN MAR TEX21 PHO27 HOM23 49th 01 2020 38 DAY11 LVS24 CAL25 PHO25 DAR9 DAR35 CLT16 CLT13 BRI13 ATL23 MAR25 HOM19 TAL8 POC24 POC19 IND15 KEN36 TEX22 KAN19 NHA36 MCH36 MCH23 DRC35 DOV24 DOV20 DAY11 DAR36 RCH30 BRI20 LVS20 TAL8 ROV36 KAN17 TEX22 MAR26 PHO26 27th 534 2022 23XI Racing 45 Toyota DAY CAL LVS PHO ATL COA RCH MAR BRD TAL DOV DAR KAN CLT GTW SON NSH ROA ATL NHA POC IRC MCH RCH GLN DAY DAR KAN BRI TEX TAL ROV LVS HOM27 MAR PHO 56th 01 2023 Legacy Motor Club 42 Chevy DAY CAL LVS PHO ATL COA RCH BRD MAR TAL DOV KAN DAR CLT GTW SON NSH CSC ATL NHA POC RCH MCH IRC GLN DAY DAR KAN BRI TEX TAL ROV LVS HOM32 MAR PHO 61st 01 2024 Toyota DAY7 ATL21 LVS22 PHO25 BRI6 COA21 RCH25 MAR36 TEX34 TAL33 DOV20 KAN13 DAR31 CLT30 GTW27 SON29 IOW26 NHA8 NSH31 CSC35 POC28 IND29 RCH31 MCH29 DAY15 DAR25 ATL33 GLN24 BRI33 KAN30 TAL31 ROV34 LVS9 HOM26 MAR31 PHO30 34th 447 2025 DAY5 ATL10 COA22 PHO14 LVS20 HOM23 MAR25 DAR30 BRI21 TAL30 TEX8 KAN10 CLT27 NSH27 MCH34 MXC6 POC6 ATL26 CSC15 SON28 DOV21 IND12 IOW15 GLN32 RCH36 DAY17 DAR4 GTW6 BRI14 NHA34 KAN32 ROV26 LVS29 TAL14 MAR21 PHO31 25th 664 2026 DAY26 ATL19 COA17 PHO25 LVS21 DAR27 MAR29 BRI35 KAN22 TAL22 TEX21 GLN10 CLT26 NSH24 MCH14 POC4* COR16 SON25 CHI23 ATL18 NWS31 IND32 IOW19 RCH22 DAY15 DAR GTW BRI KAN LVS CLT PHO TAL MAR HOM -* -* 40 NHA31

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 2020 Front Row Motorsports Ford 23 11 2024 Legacy Motor Club Toyota 10 7 2025 18 5 2026 11 26

Xfinity Series NASCAR Xfinity Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Pts Ref 2018 Chip Ganassi Racing 42 Chevy DAY ATL4 LVS PHO CAL29 TEX BRI13 RCH13 TAL7 DOV14 CLT POC7 MCH13 IOW15 CHI DAY KEN7 NHA4 IOW5 GLN MOH BRI ROA DAR IND25 LVS RCH ROV DOV9 KAN1 TEX4 PHO9 HOM3 13th 643 2019 GMS Racing 23 Chevy DAY8 ATL20 LVS2 PHO9 CAL28 TEX9 BRI5 RCH7 TAL6 DOV8 CLT12 POC12 MCH8 IOW8 CHI11 DAY22 KEN12 NHA36 IOW3 GLN12 MOH31 BRI3 ROA26 DAR21 IND31 LVS8 RCH15 ROV7 DOV8 KAN8 TEX5 PHO4 HOM6 7th 2253 2021 Sam Hunt Racing 26 Toyota DAY DRC HOM LVS PHO ATL MAR TAL DAR DOV32 COA CLT MOH TEX NSH POC ROA ATL NHA GLN IRC MCH DAY DAR RCH3 BRI LVS 74th 01 Joe Gibbs Racing 54 Toyota TAL22 ROV TEX1* KAN MAR PHO6 2022 Sam Hunt Racing 26 Toyota DAY CAL LVS12 PHO5 ATL COA DAR4 TEX CLT PIR NSH ROA18 ATL NHA POC IRC MCH19 GLN DAY35 DAR9 KAN BRI LVS16 HOM MAR PHO 77th 01 Joe Gibbs Racing 18 Toyota RCH2* MAR TAL DOV37 TEX28 TAL ROV 2023 20 DAY2 CAL1* LVS6 PHO6 ATL8 COA27 RCH2 MAR1* TAL32 DOV5 DAR5* CLT2 PIR10 SON16 NSH6 CSC2 ATL1 NHA1* POC32 ROA34 MCH1* IRC13 GLN6 DAY28 DAR3* KAN1* BRI3 TEX1 ROV8 LVS2 HOM3 MAR18 PHO28 4th 4009 2024 DAY7 ATL32 LVS1* PHO32 COA3 RCH MAR TEX TAL DOV SON8 IOW27 NHA NSH1* CSC25 POC IND MCH3 DAY DAR ATL GLN BRI KAN TAL ROV LVS HOM MAR PHO 77th 01 Sam Hunt Racing 26 Toyota DAR23 CLT PIR

Craftsman Truck Series NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Pts Ref 2013 SWM-NEMCO Motorsports 22 Toyota DAY MAR CAR KAN CLT DOV TEX KEN IOW ELD POC MCH BRI MSP IOW CHI LVS TAL MAR19 TEX PHO21 HOM 45th 51 2014 8 DAY MAR12 KAN CLT DOV6 TEX GTW15 KEN IOW10 ELD6 POC MCH BRI27 MSP25 CHI NHA5 LVS TAL MAR13 TEX PHO7 HOM 23rd 337 2015 Chevy DAY ATL MAR29 KAN CLT DOV22 TEX GTW4 IOW23 KEN11 ELD7 POC13 MCH12 BRI3 MSP9 CHI1 NHA5 LVS4 TAL11 MAR2 TEX11 PHO2 HOM2 12th 630 2016 NEMCO Motorsports DAY17 ATL1 MAR2 KAN28 DOV15 CLT12 TEX7 IOW12 GTW6 KEN2 ELD24 POC9 BRI8 MCH26 MSP1 CHI14 NHA9 LVS16 TAL32 MAR3 TEX18 PHO6 HOM11 8th 2133 2017 DAY4 ATL29 MAR28 KAN3 CLT22 DOV22 TEX21 GTW1 IOW1 KEN18 ELD5 POC4 MCH29 BRI3 MSP20 CHI7 NHA20 LVS8 TAL6 MAR30 TEX19 PHO2 HOM15 8th 2206 2018 DAY25 ATL LVS21 MAR1 DOV KAN4 CLT9 TEX IOW27 GTW25 CHI7* KEN5 ELD7 POC MCH3 BRI3* MSP2 LVS22 TAL27 MAR30 TEX PHO29 HOM7 90th 01 2019 DAY ATL LVS MAR TEX DOV KAN CLT TEX IOW GTW CHI KEN POC ELD MCH BRI29 MSP LVS32 TAL30 MAR7 PHO29 HOM 99th 01 2020 Ford DAYDNQ LVS CLT6 ATL24 HOM POC KEN TEX KAN KAN MCH25 DRC DOV GTW DAR RCH BRI LVS TAL KAN TEX MAR PHO 82nd 01 2021 Kyle Busch Motorsports 4 Toyota DAY7 DRC3 LVS1* ATL3 BRD39 RCH1* KAN5 DAR8* COA12 CLT1* TEX1* NSH10 POC1 KNX11 GLN2 GTW22 DAR2 BRI3 LVS33 TAL4 MAR39 PHO7 3rd 4030 2022 DAY24* LVS25 ATL24 COA2 MAR4 BRD3 DAR1* KAN6 TEX6 CLT3 GTW35 SON8 KNX2 NSH9 MOH28 POC3 IRP10* RCH2 KAN1* BRI12 TAL24 HOM35 PHO4 5th 2285 2023 Tricon Garage 17 Toyota DAY LVS31 ATL3* COA TEX BRD MAR KAN DAR NWS CLT GTW NSH MOH POC RCH IRP MLW KAN BRI TAL HOM PHO 89th 01 2026 Halmar Friesen Racing 62 Toyota DAY5 ATL8 STP DAR CAR BRI TEX GLN DOV CLT NSH MCH COR LRP NWS IRP RCH -* -* Tricon Garage 5 Toyota NHA19 BRI KAN CLT PHO TAL MAR HOM

Season still in progress Ineligible for series points

ARCA Menards Series (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.) ARCA Menards Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pts Ref 2022 Venturini Motorsports 55 Toyota DAY PHO TAL KAN CLT IOW BLN ELK MOH4* POC IRP MCH GLN ISF MLW DSF KAN BRI SLM TOL 72nd 42

K&N Pro Series East NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pts Ref 2013 Spraker Racing 37 Chevy BRI GRE FIF12 48th 46 SWM-NEMCO Motorsports 8 Chevy RCH30 BGS IOW LGY COL IOW VIR GRE NHA DOV RAL 2014 Toyota NSM DAY BRI GRE RCH IOW BGS FIF LGY NHA COL IOW GLN25 VIR GRE DOV 65th 19

CARS Super Late Model Tour (key) CARS Super Late Model Tour results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pts Ref 2015 SWM-NEMCO Motorsports 8N Chevy SNM ROU16 HCY SNM TCM MMS ROU CON MYB HCY 53rd 17 2016 NEMCO Motorsports SNM ROU16 HCY TCM GRE ROU CON MYB HCY SNM 57th 17

Sports cars (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings. * – Most laps led.)

IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge results Year Team No. Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 MPC Pts Ref 2023 TGR Smooge Racing 23 Toyota GR Supra GT4 Evo DAY19 SEB LGA MOH WGL MOS ELK VIR IMS ATL 27th 40